It seems contradictory for Sai Baba to tell the author not to seek more work when his family was struggling, promising only that his 'plates will always be full.' Was this practical advice, or was Baba just demanding service for himself?

Sai Baba's guidance was a profound reorientation away from worldly anxiety towards spiritual assurance and service. As recounted in Chapter 3, when Anna Chinchonikar pleaded for Baba to find the author a new job after his retirement in 1916, Baba's response was multifaceted. He directly stated, "He will get a job, damn it! Now he should do my service; he will find happiness in the household." This was not merely a demand for service but a promise that by prioritizing devotion, material needs would be met effortlessly. Baba assured him, "His plates are always full; they will never be empty as long as he lives." The instruction was to shift focus from seeking employment to performing Baba's service, through which both worldly happiness and the removal of calamities would be achieved, leading to an "eternal treasure."